A Moblin's Epic
by Target22
Summary: Hylians were not the only people being coerced by Ganondorf. Sure, many demons joined the King of Evil willingly hoping to reap the benefits of carnage, but not enough. Armies were needed to maintain his sovereignty. Some armies were bought, some were created, and others had to be enslaved. A moblin chief struggles to find a way to free his people before this war eradicates them.
1. Grateful

The horses whinnied nervously, their breath visible in the moonlight as the temperature plummeted. Keith patted his mare's neck in an attempt to comfort her.

"Easy girl, it's gonna be okay."

The mare looked at her master with wide eyes wondering how he could be so calm when the smell of predators was in the air. But Master knew best. As he continued to run his furless hand down her neck she calmed down. If Master wasn't worried, she shouldn't be worried.

"The girls really don't like this mountain path," Keith said over his shoulder. He heard a grunt from behind.

"None of us do. Why do you think we pay for these damned escorts?" Keith's father asked with disdain. The boy glanced over to where the three hired bodyguards were sitting. Luckily none of them had heard his father. Their relationship was already strained enough as it was.

Efren jabbed at the fire with a stick. "We spend half our damn profits just so those oafs can rattle their shields at passing squirrels and claim they're protecting us."

Keith shook his head and gave his mare one last pat on the neck. He stepped away from the horses and joined his father by their fire. Ever since Efren had picked a fight with their hired help on the way to Slatina, the bodyguards opted to man their own fire every night. That meant Keith was trapped with no buffer between he and his father.

"There ARE wolves and Goblins in these mountains," Keith reasoned for the third time to his father.

Efren spat into the fire. "There are less and less Goblin attacks every year, probably from the bastards dying out. And the wolves are afraid of fire. We don't have to spend three hundred rupees a month on fires." Efren sighed. "I blame your mother for those three."

Keith chuckled despite his father's sour mood. Dawn was always very susceptible to village gossip, and when the Mayor's wife told her that a caravan had just been sacked by an entire tribe of Goblins there was no way Efren and Keith were leaving home without protection.

"It's like she thinks this is my first trip through Carpathian!" Efren fumed.

Keith was about to remind his father that he was the one who'd recommended escorts first, when a branch snapped nearby. Everyone's heads whipped around.

Not a sound. Only the crackling of the fire could be heard in the small clearing.

The body guards glanced at their employer and his son then looked at each other and nodded. Keith looked at his father nervously while the three men grabbed their weapons. Efren's face looked calm but his eyes were bouncing around the tree line fretfully.

The leader of the men they'd hired, a sturdy man named Shane, took point with a torch in one hand and a broadsword in the other. He took short wary steps forward while reaching out with his light source.

"Who's there?" he demanded in his deepest voice.

No response.

Encouraged by the silence Shane took another step forward.

"We're armed to the teeth, you hear?

He waved the torch back and forth with bravado. When there was still no sound he snorted and looked back at his comrades.

"Probably just a –"

A spear ripped through his chest stealing his last words and breath. Before Shane fell to his knees another spear whistled through the night barely missing one of the other guards.

"Goddesses!" the one on the left cried as he ducked behind his shield.

Efren grabbed Keith's shoulder and started shoving him away frantically.

"Get to the horses, son!"

Keith fell backwards in his panic. He could hear creatures hooting and cheering running out of the woods. He tried to look over towards the guards but his father grabbed his face.

"NOW! KEITH!" Efren screamed.

As though his body were moving without him Keith scrambled to his feet. Obediently he dashed towards his horse and quickly untied her from her tree. As he flung himself onto her bare back he caught a glimpse of the two guards. They were swinging their weapons frantically as Goblins poured out of the dark woods and began surround them.

"Father!" Keith called once he was sitting up with the reins in his hand.

"Go!" Efren commanded. He pulled his hatchet from the log he'd been sitting on and brandished it as a weapon, as if he weren't a merchant but secretly a feral barbarian. "I'll be right behind you!"

Part of Keith wanted to believe that.

Keith's mare was done waiting for the command of her master. Once she felt his legs tighten on her side she bolted knowing his and her life depended on her speed. The other horses were still tied up but that was the fault of their masters. She would keep hers safe as he'd kept her.

Keith was relying completely on his mount. Even if he could see the path in what little moonlight made it through the tree branches he couldn't see through the tears that were filling his eyes. All he could keep thinking was: What am I going to tell Mother?

* * *

The Goblins quickly overwhelmed the two bodyguards and piled on top of them stabbing and bashing them as they fell. The last Human stepped behind the campfire holding his hatchet in front of him. The Goblins knew right away that this Human wasn't a fighter. Thoroughly delighted by the overwhelming odds in their favor the Goblins fanned out around the poorly equipped Human.

"Who gets the weapon?" one of them asked, a toothy grin spread across his face.

"First cut gets weapon!" one called.

"Last cut gets weapon!" argued another.

"Gnash gets weapon!" came a booming voice.

The Goblins started cheering and jumping up and down.

"Gnasher gets weapon! Gnash gets weapon!" they cheered.

The Human, unable to understand anything the evil green creatures were saying, was barking at his attackers, swinging his weapon in the air menacingly. When he saw all the Goblins turn and look and something behind him, he couldn't help but look as well.

"Goddesses," he whispered.

The largest Goblin he'd ever seen, ever heard of, was lumbering towards him with a massive sword that looked like a long giant cleaver. Hopelessness overcame him. His arms fell limp to his sides and the hatchet slipped from his grip. The Goblin stopped in front of the man, its bulging stomach only a few inches from him.

It looked directly into the man's eyes, evil, malice, and violence oozing out of his orbs. The monster let out a snort.

"Human," it said in its deep voice.

The man looked like he was trying to say something, to squeak out one last defiant cry. But nothing came out of his mouth.

Gnasher laughed while raising his sword over his head.

The Human closed his eyes and clenched his teeth in anticipation. The Goblins in the circle around them were going crazy chanting and cheering.

Gnasher held his sword over his head for a moment, then swung downward.

"GNASHER!" The voice erupted louder than the chanting of the entire mob.

Gnasher flinched, halting his weapon just inches from the Human's skull. All the Goblins were instantly silenced.

The Human dared to open an eye to see what had spared him. Surely there couldn't be anything in these mountains bigger than the behemoth in front of him. Surely the Human was wrong. At first he thought he was looking at a bear. A naked bear walking out of the woods on two legs. But it wasn't a bear, he realized when the firelight reached its face. It was a Goblin, or at least a type of Goblin.

Unlike the Goblins surrounding the man this new one had brown skin instead of green. He had no horns coming out of the sides of his head but instead tusks that protruded from his bottom lip. There was no way the brown Goblin was an inch shorter than 7 feet.

The Human looked around and could see that all of the green Goblins were afraid of the brown one. Whether that was good for him or not, he wasn't sure.

"Gnasher," the brown Goblin said again. "This was not a sanctioned attack." The brown Goblin's pierced eyebrows were furrowed and his massive arms were crossed in front of his powerful bare chest.

The fat green Goblin growled. "I allow attack," he replied in their guttural language sticking his thumb to his chest.

The brown Goblin took an assertive step forward. "YOU DON'T ALLOW ATTACKS!" he bellowed.

The Human and the little green Goblins flinched and took a step back. The fat Goblin, Gnasher, glanced around at his posse then growled at the brown Goblin again. He pointed his two handed cleaver.

"Gnasher tired of taking orders from stupid moblin."

Some of the smaller Goblins cheered but most took another step back. The brown Goblin, despite being unarmed, did not seem perturbed by having a weapon pointed at him. He uncrossed his arms allowing them to hang at his sides.

"Gnasher," the brown Goblin said in a deep calm voice. "This is your last warning."

Gnasher spat at the brown Goblin. The saliva projectile landed on the brown Goblin's upper lip.

"You've just murdered yourself, Gnasher," the brown one snarled.

Gnasher lunged forward for the first strike, swinging his blade horizontally to take off the taller Goblin's head. Horrifically fast the brown Goblin ducked under it, lunged forward with one knee on the ground and wrapped his arms around Gnasher's waist while the sword passed harmlessly over his head.

The Human and Goblins watching scrambled backwards as the titanic Goblin lifted the fat Goblin into the air then slammed him down. Cheers exploded from the little Goblins as the brown Goblin mounted their leader and began pummeling him with his fists. The green Goblin tried bringing his hands to protect his face but they couldn't protect him from the meteor shower of fists. In a last ditch effort Gnasher tried tilting his head up to get his horns between him and the brown Goblin.

The brown Goblin ceased his punching only to grab Gnasher's horns, one in each hand. With a roar that echoed through the mountains the brown Goblin yanked horns, twisting Gnasher's head to the side. Everyone was too deafened from the roar to hear the neck snap.

The brown Goblin let go of the horns and rose to his feet, still standing over his broken enemy. The little Goblins were quiet for a moment then went right back to cheering.

"Bordo! Bordo! Bordo!" they cried.

The brown Goblin, Bordo raised a bloody fist in the air eliciting even more frantic cheering.

It occurred to the Human that he should have used the confusion of the fight to escape but he hadn't been able to look away from the brutality.

Two more Goblins, a purple one with white hair and another green, both smaller than Gnasher and Bordo, stepped into the clearing. Neither seemed to be caught up in the excitement.

"Jagged Teeth!" Bordo spread his arms out wide to encompass the Goblins around him. "There will be no more unauthorized attacks!"

The little Goblins calmed down and gave the Goblin that had murdered their leader the utmost respect.

"Bordo is chief," Bordo said hitting himself in the chest. "Only Bordo allows attacks." With a scowl he scanned the Goblins' faces. Only the two that had just arrived were able to meet his gaze.

"Jagged Teeth will be punished for this attack." The Goblins' heads sank even lower. "But," Bordo added with a tusked grin. "Jagged Teeth gets to keep the horse meat."

Triumphant cries and chants for 'Bordo' recommenced as the Goblins celebrated their fate. The creatures wasted no time in butchering the terrified horses and ponies, who were still tied up and couldn't escape. One Goblin stopped next to the Human and pointed a dagger at him while looking at Bordo questioningly.

Bordo shook his head. "Human belongs to Gutrot."

The little green Goblin looked at the purple Goblin then at the Human with a disappointed look on his face. But there was no questioning Bordo, especially not now. The Goblin ran off to secure itself some horse meat.

The Human let out a sigh of relief, thinking its life had been spared. Bordo turned away from the small man.

"A Human escaped on horseback," Bordo said to the green Goblin at his side. The Goblin nodded.

"I'll take care of it. I'll be back in a day or two."

Bordo nodded and the green Goblin took off at a sprint.

"I don't know if you can understand me," the Human said from behind Bordo. "But thank you."

Bordo looked over his shoulder. "I understand you," he replied in the man's tongue. The Human blinked, obviously surprised. Bordo turned to the purple Goblin.

"This was an unscheduled attack. It can't look like the Bulblins did this."

The purple Goblin nodded. "Wolfos it is," he said in his ancient raspy voice. He started reaching into his pocket when Bordo put a massive hand on his tiny shoulder.

"No. Don't waste a crystal. Use the Human."

"Ah," the purple Goblin said pulled his hand out of his pocket. "Very good."

"I don't know how to repay you," the Human said, trying to get Bordo's attention. "I have some rupees here. They're all yours!"

"Keep your rupees Human," Bordo said in the man's language again. He walked back into the woods without giving the man another glance.

"Where. . . where are you going?" the man called after him.

The purple Goblin stepped in front of him smiling devilishly.

"You belong to Gutrot," he said in traditional Bokoblin tongue.

The Human began to realize that his life wasn't being spared.

"No," the Human moaned pathetically as he tried to back up. "No, please!"

Gutrot reached out with his bony hand, light already spilling from his fingertips. "To Gutrot," he cackled.

"Noooo!"

* * *

Bordo hiked through the dark woods, not the slightest bit concerned that he was temporarily alone. The Moblin ranked himself in the top five most dangerous creatures in the Carpathian Mountains. The two she-demons, the dire bear, and that giant tunneling reptile were the only individuals Bordo ever needed to worry about. Even then, the she demons had an understanding, the dire bear kept to himself farther south, and the reptile wasn't quite sentient enough to hold grudges or seek individual targets. It only ate whatever unfortunate creature stumbled into its path.

Things were different in Absistus. Bordo would be crawling on his stomach like a Bulblin baby if he were still there. Something he did not miss nor enjoy recollecting.

"Chief!"

Two bulblins snapped to attention. Bordo had reached his party. He nodded to the two well disciplined Bulblins and stepped past them. Ida, and Helcat's Bulblins were waiting for him, Helcat's Bulblins patiently while Ida tapped her foot impatiently.

"What took so long?" she asked, obviously annoyed she'd been left behind.

"I was hardly gone a minute."

"Eight minutes and thirty two seconds," Ida corrected.

Bordo tried to give her a hard look but caught himself smirking when he looked at the Bulblin's frowning face.

There were very few Goblins that were allowed to speak to him so casually, especially in front of his subjects. Ida was definitely on the list of 'allowed'. She had forcibly inserted herself there.

"Was it Jagged Teeth?" she asked to keep from breaking her frown.

Bordo nodded. "Gnasher grew weary of following a 'stupid Moblin's' order."

Ida threw her head back and laughed her high pitch squealing laugh.

"Oh Demise, I hope you ripped his head off," she said wiping a tear from her eye.

Bordo shook his head. "I tried. His neck was too fat."

Even Helcat's most disciplined soldier couldn't help snorting at that. If Helcat had been here his men would have all gotten lashings but Bordo didn't mind. Everyone needed a laugh now and then.

"Where's Helcat?" Ida asked likely thinking the same thing.

When their commander's name was uttered every Bulbin stopped laughing instantly and went straight to attention.

Ida smirked.

"One of the Humans escaped on horseback," Bordo answered. "Helcat went to track him down. Said he'd be back in a day or two."

"Chief," one of the nearby Bulbins said. Bordo turned to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Go ahead."

"Request permission to join Captain Helcat in his hunt," the Bulblin said when he had permission to speak.

"Granted. Take another Bloody Spear with you, and find Gutrot. He just summoned a wolfo. See if he won't allow it to accompany you."

The Bulblin bowed, pointed to another Bulblin, and the two took off at a sprint.

Ida shook her head.

"He's far too hard on these guys. These Bloody Spears are alright." She winked at the nearest one who did his best not to blush.

Bordo agreed. They were his most trusted tribe. That was the reason they were here as his escort. There were only five individuals he need worry about, but there were still Goblin tribes and chiefs in the mountain range that refused to fall under his reign. They would much rather see the Moblin dead than give up their position as Chief like Helcat and many others had done.

The Bloody Spears were incredibly disciplined, intelligent, and ferocious as far as Goblins went. The only reason they hadn't commanded more territory before Bordo arrived was because of their own customs and traditions. Within every generation only 300 young Bloody Spear Bulblins were allowed to reach adulthood. The 300 were chosen through a series of tests, many of which were simply fights to the death hosted within a tournament. Since the Bloody Spears were always at war, and only replenishing their numbers with 300 souls every generation, their tribe stayed about the same size, which was smaller than many of the other tribes in the mountains.

To this day Bordo thought the tradition was horrific, but part of his guarantee to the many chiefs he usurped and brought together was that they could continue their own traditions so long as they did not harm the other tribes. In that regard the Bloody Spears were perfectly manageable. They didn't care for the other tribes, and were content being Bordo's favorite.

"Come now," Bordo said to Ida and his escorts. "Let's return home. The Jagged Teeth will behave without Gnasher leading them astray."

"Ugh, finally!" Ida immediately fell in beside Bordo and the dozen Bloody Spears right behind him.

"I wish you'd let me come along," Ida complained while they walked.

"I already told you," he started.

Ida waved her three fingered hand. "I know, I know." In her best 'Bordo' impression, "Ida, we are far too close to the dulcet Humans to risk revealing our coordinates with one of your explosive contraptions." She waved her wrist in the air. "Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera."

"Surely I'm not so longwinded. What will the other Goblins think of me?" Bordo joked.

Ida rested her horns and the side of her head on his shoulder taking extra steps to match his long strides.

"That you're bigger and smarter than all of them," she said with a sigh.

"Not smarter than Ida!"

Ida reached up and pinched him with her three fingers.

"Never smarter than Ida!"

* * *

She couldn't run any farther. Not right now. She didn't think Master could hold on for much longer anyway.

"It's okay girl," Keith said when Kona slowed to a walk. "You did real good. You can walk now."

Kona couldn't even walk anymore. She gave her master a warning whinny then lowered herself to her knees. Catching the hint Keith hopped off her side and moved to her head.

"That's right girl just lay down. You did so good last night."

Kona had kept them moving for almost fifteen hours. It was almost noon judging by the sun directly overhead. Keith was terrible at recognizing landmarks or the geography but he suspected they were almost home. After Kona rested he was sure they could escape the mountains and make it home before night fell again.

He collapsed into Kona, almost as exhausted as the mare.

"You did good," he said again. He didn't want to think about his dad, or Shane or the other two. He wanted to sleep and wake up in his bed with his mom and dad arguing about who had raised theirs son to be so lazy.

Yea, Keith thought. I am lazy. So lazy that there's no way I actually travelled to Slatina. I'm going to wake up and this will all just be a bad dream.

The fact that Kona was drenched in sweat didn't bother him in the least. She was the fluffiest, downiest pillow in the world right now. The boy and his horse closed their eyes, sorry they'd lost their father and friends but grateful they had their lives and each other. They were grateful they were almost home. And if they could, they would have been grateful that the Bulblin that had been stalking them for fifteen hours slit their throats while they slept.

* * *

 **Author's Note: A new story! This one isn't going to be a short story, but hopefully an epic like the title says. As you may have guessed the story is going to be from Chief Bordo's perspective so it will really expand on the lore of the "bad guys" from the LoZ universe. With that being said, if you have any lore ideas or head cannons that you want to share and possibly see published in this story let me know! I'm not so arrogant as to think my ideas are the only or best. Just do me a favor and make it clear that you are or are not willing to share the ideas.**

 **Otherwise, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!**

 **Ooo, also, something I want to start implementing. If you want to see the move described earlier (unless it's against the rules) I'll leave a corresponding link at the bottom of each chapter. This one was pretty simple.**

 **Bordo's takedown vs Gnasher**

 **(Just copy and paste this after youtube) /watch?v=AHcw_SdE08I**


	2. Rinox

Bordo and his entourage reached Rinox just as the sun reached its peak. As always, they had made record time thanks to the endurance of the Burning Spears' Bulblins and the stubbornness of Ida. Once safely inside the city, Bordo thanked his escorts and dismissed them. As predictable as they were loyal, the Burning Spears immediately turned around and went back the way they'd come, presumably to meet Helcat on his return voyage.

Bordo turned to Ida. "You look tired, Ida. Go home, the council won't meet until sunset."

Ida brought her hands up and rubbed the fatigue out of her hazel eyes.

"I will, I will. But not until I see Tari."

"Piss," Bordo swore.

Ida looked up at the Moblin and smiled knowingly.

"You forgot to tell her you were leaving last night, didn't you?"

Bordo put his hand on his face and sighed ruefully.

"I can't," he said. "I can't deal with her right now."

Ida laughed at her commander's pain.

"Come on," she said stepping forward. "You can't avoid her forever. Especially not when you stand a head taller than Rinox herself."

Bordo growled playfully then resignedly started walking to his doom.

Rinox, the capital city of Bordo's newfound Goblin empire, was named after the peak it now fully enveloped. Walking through the street Bordo would imagine that nary a visitor would be able to guess that this entire city was only born nine years ago.

Home to more than 59,000 Bulblins and almost 5,000 Bokoblins, Rinox was the largest city in the Carpathian Mountains, and the fourth largest of the neighboring human kingdoms, Jiu and Suceava. Not for centuries had there been a Goblin kingdom, let alone city, that managed such an incredible population. Rinox was Bordo's crowning achievement.

Bordo and Ida strolled up the main road, a stone paved path that spiraled up the mountain to its peak. The rest of the streets in Rinox were simply cut from the side of the mountain or weeded and covered in dirt, but Bordo and the council had agreed the main road should be done properly. If you were anyone of importance you lived near the main road, and the more important you were the higher on the mountain you lived.

Bordo, of course, lived at the peak, in a hollowed out caved he'd furnished and made into a suitable home. The other council members, former chiefs, lived in fabulous (by Goblin standards) stone houses along the main road. Elders and family of the council members lived just below them in more humble stone houses. Below the family members were Bulblins and Bokoblins who had once been second in command to their respective chiefs. These Goblins lived in stone houses or wooden cabins and their community made up the largest portion of housing on the main road. Below them were the champions, or bullies depending on your perspective, who had won their plot of land through deed or duel.

The rest of the population was scattered up, down, and around Rinox, residing in any combination of cabins, huts, caves, tents, or tunnels. Even with 65,000 Goblins, hundreds of acres of forest, and a sizeable brick quarry, there was still room yet for about 30,000 more Goblins. Maybe twice that if Bordo and the council could find a way to maximize efficient living.

As Bordo and Ida walked every Goblin that passed by immediately bowed their heads respectfully to the Moblin. No matter how busy they were, no matter their rush or how full their arms were they always stopped and payed their respects. The Goblins believed anything less than that might be taken as a challenge.

Only the children were brave enough in their ignorance to skitter beneath the giant's legs and grab onto his ankles giggling and demanding goodies from their King. Ida had no patience for the brats, having been known to kick at them if they came too close to the hem of her dress. Bordo, on the other hand, loved the young Goblins. When he had time he would stop what he was doing and wrestle them, allowing dozens of them to climb him and bring him to the ground. Once flat on his belly the children would start to chant: "Submit! Submit!" At which point Bordo, with the army of children climbing on his back and shoulders, would push off the ground with his mighty arms and roar "NEVER!" The children would cry out in terror and delight and scamper away lest the King of Goblins decide to feast on them.

As he walked now several children were already latching themselves onto his ankles and climbing up his legs. One brave little Bokoblin was even trying to climb the expanse between Bordo's belt and shoulders.

"Bordo!" one of the children cried. "Play with us!"

Bordo looked down to see one of the cutest Bulblin infants he'd ever seen. With a chuckle he leaned down and held out his pinky and thumb for the child to grab. Once the chubby young Bulbin grasped the two digits in his hands Bordo lifted him off his feet and held him at eye level.

"What is your name, little one?" he asked.

"Kit!" the Bulbin squeaked excitedly.

"Kit, I am too tired to play with you today, but," he added just as the boy's face began to fall. "How about I give you a challenge to share with your friends?"

"What kind of challenge?" the dangling Goblin asked skeptically. It was likely a safe bet that Kit was not much of a fighter.

The other young Goblins that had been grabbing and biting Bordo paused so they could also hear the challenge.

"If you and your friends," Bordo started, "can find a white Keese, and bring it to me alive, you will all get a special surprise."

Kit grunted as he struggled to maintain his grip on Bordo's fingers. "What kind of surprise?" he asked.

Bordo frowned. "You do know the meaning of the word 'surprise' don't you?"

Kit kicked frantically, willing his little green hands to hold on.

"Yes, yes, yes," he said. "Ok, deal."

"Atta boy," Bordo said with a laugh and lowered the child before his grips gave out.

The moment the Bulblin's feet hit the ground he took off at a run, his friends turning to leave with him, in search of a rare white Keese.

Bordo watched them go with a warm, tusky smile on his lips. Ida made a 'tsk' noise.

"I've got a surprise for the little brats," she said.

"Oh hush," he said returning his attention back to his trek home.

"This new generation has no discipline," Ida complained, being the only Goblin bold enough to ignore the command 'hush'. "They're soft and weak and have no brains."

"They have the luxury of knowing peace," Bordo said, well accustomed to Ida's gripes.

"Aye, and it makes them soft. Despite your progress, the world is still a dangerous place for weak Goblins."

"But even more so for a violent Goblin," Bordo countered.

"The Kruloo did fine," Ida argued. "The Burning Spears did fine. Even you grew up violent and look at you now."

Bordo shook his head. "I would not wish my childhood on any Goblin. And the Kruloo did do fine. So long as your definition of 'fine' is robbing caravans just to survive then hiding yourselves in mountain caves for an entire generation because the humans have grown tired of your raids." He gave Ida a warning look. He did not like to bring up the tragedies of her tribe but he also did not like anyone, not even Ida, to discuss his childhood.

"And imagine how much more powerful the Burning Spears could be if they were given the chance to stop being nomads," Bordo continued. "They keep their numbers limited because they had to be able to pack up and travel quickly either to evade or capture. Now that they have a city to call home, Helcat could increase their numbers without having to sacrifice their potency."

Ida kept her head and eyes forward on the trail. "Goblins were not made for peace," she said defiantly. "Or else we'd be born without fangs, tusks or horns like the humans."

Bordo said nothing. It was true, what Ida was saying, he knew that. Goblins had never known peace. From the day they were born until the day they died most Goblins were more violent and vicious than the other species. But Bordo didn't believe it was because Goblins were evil. He believed this was how Goblins behaved because they had been forced to behave his way. Forced by the other races; the Humans, Hylians, Sheikah, Zoras, Goron, Fairies, Dekus, and everyone else. Their horns and fangs and tusks and size intimidated the fairer creatures and convinced them to all unite against Goblin-kind and drive them to this lifestyle. Once driven away and hated Goblins had only grown to reciprocate what they had received; hatred. Hate made them violent, and violence only made them more hated.

There was no reason the cycle couldn't be broken, Bordo believed. If he could put an end to the hate, the violence would stop. And if he could stop the violence, the hate would stop. The reasoning was circular to everyone else but to Bordo it made perfect sense. Sense enough that he had gambled his life multiple times to create this empire he was now the center of. An empire where, for the first time Bulblins and Bokoblins lived side by side without war. An empire where, for the first time young Goblins did not have to be taught to stomach the taste of raw flesh because it was too dangerous to light a fire and cook meat properly. An empire where, for the first time mercy could be shown to the weak.

Rinox was only nine years old, almost ten, but Bordo's empire had been in the making for nearly thirty. For thirty years he'd wagered that Goblins could create and sustain a kingdom that would someday be recognized by the fairer races. The first years had been violent, Bordo had taken tribes by the might of his own two hands. Now, however, tribes flocked to him. They came to him from all over the Carpachian Mountains and beyond in search of a safe home.

"If Goblins were not made for peace," Bordo finally said. "Then Rinox will not see her tenth birthday."

"That is not fair," Ida said.

"Oh?"

Ida nodded then looked up at Bordo. "I said Goblins were not made for peace. You are no Goblin."

"Then what am I, Ida the Insane?"

Ida smiled devilishly, her white pointed teeth beaming against her green colored face. "A god. The first true Goblin god."

A shiver went down Bordo's spine. He'd been called a god before. Goblins were incredibly superstitious and quick to bestow exaggerated titles on anything abnormal. But Bordo knew he was no god. What deity could possibly be worshipped with a start like his?

Bordo was about to say something when a flash of purple and black caught his attention. He let out a groan.

"The 'first true Goblin God' is about to get scolded by his teenage daughter," Bordo said ruefully.

Ida looked ahead and saw Bordo's demise herself. Her smile grew even wider.

"Bordo!" the young Goblin scolded.

Bordo flinched. "Please, Tari, can we do this later I'm terribly–"

"Sorry?" Tari asked cutting him off. The young Bokoblin crossed her arms in front of her chest and stomped down the road toward her father.

"Sorry was the next word coming out of your mouth, right?" Tari snapped. "Because no sad excuse of a father would think of anything but apologizing after leaving his daughter at home, with no warning, for THREE DAYS!"

Ida laughed hysterically while Bordo dropped his gaze and shook his head.

"Now THAT is a Goblin of the next generation that I can trust!" Ida said. She held her arms out to the young Bokoblin. "How are you, Beautiful?"

Tari embraced the tall Bulblin with a warm smile.

"I'm fine, Aunt Ida. Did my father-dear at least behave while he was abandoning me?"

Ida brought her four-fingered hand up and ran her digits through Tari's black hair.

"Of course not," Ida answered. "He's just as righteous and peculiar as always."

The two females turned and gave Bordo identical disapproving glares.

"Bah!" Bordo dismissed them both with a wave and continued up the main road. "I'm too tired to do this here. Come on, Tari. I'll tell you all about my trip on the way home. Ida needs to get some rest before the council meets tonight."

"Go with your father," Ida said after pinching Tari's cheek. "You and I will share a meal tomorrow, yes?"

"Of course! See you tomorrow." Tari jogged to catch up to her father and fall in step behind him.

"You really could have at least warned me you were leaving the city," she said pouting instead of scolding.

Bordo gently placed his massive hand on the top of her head and gave her black mane an affectionate scratch.

"I know, I am sorry."

"Well? Tell me all about it."

For the rest of the walk to their domicile Bordo described the past three days' events to his adopted daughter. He explained how he'd received a report that Jagged Teeth failed to show up for their sentry rotation and that there were rumors that since the death of Gnasher's father, Gnasher was trying to pull his tribe away from Bordo's empire. The original report Bordo had received was that Gnasher was planning to attack a large caravan and leave evidence that would point the humans towards Rinox. That report ended up being exaggerated but there was truth to Gnasher's contempt.

Tari listened intently and asked intelligent questions when Bordo paused. As always, Bordo could not be more proud of his adopted daughter.

Tari was almost halfway through her second decade, yet displayed an intelligence and wisdom rarely found in elders. She was still hotheaded and brash, as all teenagers were, but her intellect set her far apart from her peers. Bordo could only imagine how her brilliance would have been squandered if he hadn't rescued and adopted her.

His daughter Tari, the only relative Bordo acknowledged, was a beautiful young Bokoblin from a tiny tribe on the eastern most edge of the Carpachian Mountains, deep in Suceava Kingdom. Immediately young Tari stood out against other Bokoblins. Where most Bokoblins had white hair, sometimes even gray, Tari had jet black hair. Against her purple skin it made her look mysterious and sinister, like an omen of misfortune. Her biological mother had tried to hide her from the rest of the tribe when she was a baby knowing that the superstitious Chief would set the infant on fire. Unfortunately, the tribe was so small it was only a matter of time before the Chief found out. He killed Tari's mother and had little Tari tied to a dead tree surrounded by kindling before Bordo arrived.

He was supposed to win their hearts, the small Bokoblin tribe, that was why he was there. But when he saw the crying infant tied to the tree he'd lost his senses and gone berserk. Tari was the only survivor of that tribe.

"So what punishment do you have planned for Jagged Teeth?" Tari asked when she'd heard the whole story.

Bordo reached up and scratched his snout. "They won't be able to join any raids until the end of next winter. And they will have to work for Chief Publim with the Hills until then."

Tari nodded. For a wild violent tribe like Jagged Teeth that was probably the only punishment less harsh than death.

"And if they try to escape you or Publim?" Tari asked.

Bordo looked at her to give his daughter a chance to guess what the punishment would be.

"You'll send Helcat and the Burning Spears to hunt them down and torture them."

"That's right."

Tari sighed. "I wish you hadn't whisked Helcat away."

Bordo grinned knowingly. "He'll be back any minute now. My guess is he caught up to the fleeing human within hours and headed back before I even arrived."

"Did he say anything about me?" she asked trying to sound nonchalant.

A snort from Bordo. "No, he didn't."

"Hmph." Tari turned her head away.

Bordo was well aware of his most trusted chief's relationship with his daughter. Tari had tried to keep it a secret initially but Helcat, loyal to a fault, had immediately approached the Moblin and asked his permission to visit Tari.

Thirty years ago a relationship between a Bokoblin and a Bulblin would have been unheard of. Even when the two races weren't enemies they were always far from cordial. But under Bordo's rule, and especially in Rinox, inter racial relationships began springing up. The offspring, interestingly enough, did not look like either Bokoblins or Bulblins. Truthfully they looked more like tiny Moblins but with white hair and tiny horns. They were affectionately referred to as Bokulblins and were accepted within Rinox.

Bordo wondered what would happen to the two Goblin races in a few generations if they kept mixing like that. The other races had done it. Humans, the most numerous and dominant species now on the planet, were the offspring of Gerudos and Hylians or Sheikah, and Absistans and Hylians or Sheikah, then a mix of those two. The mundane attributes and genes had been overwhelmingly dominant in the offspring; round ears, pale skin, and lack of magic ability. From Bordo's understanding there were very few full-blooded Hylians, Sheikah, Gerudos, or Absistans. Humans had inherited the Earth.

Finally, just as Bordo's powerful tree trunk legs began to tire, they reached the top of Rinox. Able to see the flow from outside Bordo understood that despite her display earlier Tari had patiently waited for him knowing he would return. The main hearth was lit and warm waves of air greeted the father and daughter pair as they reached the entrance of their cave.

Home, for Bordo, was a cave whose mouth was only a few hundred feet below the peak of the mountain. Instead of building a door or wall Bordo had chosen to leave the mouth of the cave exactly as it was, open and facing the east allowing the sun's rays to splash his domain every morning. The first doorway was thirty feet deeper into the cave, past a grand fireplace and spit, beyond a bear skin rug, and behind the long ornate bench that had been a gift from a former chief.

Inside that door was not a stranger would expect of Moblin. Bookcases, some neatly organized and some straining to carry their load, lined both sides of a hallway that had been meticulously carved out. The hallway split into three paths, one of which was almost a straight vertical climb which led Bordo's personal bedchamber. The path to the left led to a study where more books littered the walls and floors and shared a massive oak table with a map of the entire Carpachian mountain range. There were nearly a dozen chairs around the table but most of them were occupied by books, tomes and scrolls.

The path to the right led to various rooms including Tari's own fabulous bedroom. The stone walls of Tari's room were hidden beneath various animal skins and hand-carved statues. The bed was a very human-design canopy bed with silk drapes raided from a very human caravan. Threads, skins, and various types of leather were strewn across the floor. Tari practically set all fashion trends in Rinox singlehandedly and she used her own room as her workshop.

The other rooms included the kitchen, pantry, another study, a cellar, a small armory, and two more rooms devoted to nothing but books. Very few Goblins were ever allowed to enter Bordo's residence. He thought it best not to let his people know their leader lived in such a humble fashion. He actually had another "home" just a little way down the path he'd traveled where the entrance was covered in silver and gold plates, and ivory statues. That cave/home was very shallow and only had a throne room, a den, and bed chamber. It was only used when Bordo was entertaining guests privately, without the council.

"Are you going straight to bed?" Tari asked after Bordo closed the door behind him.

Bordo only grunted affirmatively, now wholly exhausted by the past few days' ordeal and preemptively exhausted by his meeting with the council that very evening.

"Wake me when the sun sets," he said as he climbed up to his room.

Tari watched him go while quietly sighing to herself. Gone were the days when she got him all to herself.

* * *

The hall where the council met was the most lavishly decorated building in all of Rinox. The walls, made of stacked oaken logs and plastered with Absistian glue, reached as high as 30 feet and every square inch of that was covered in furs, mounted heads, trophies, skeletons, ornate weapons, and tapestries. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling but the fire in the middle of the hall provided all the light necessary. The single room of the hall 40 feet wide and nearly twice that long. The fire pit in the center was a long oval shape that was really several smaller fires as opposed to one long one. Instead of sitting around a table like Humans or Elves, Bordo wanted to meet like this, squatting or standing or sitting around a fire talking like civilized Goblins.

Food and drink were always mandatory and usually provided by Bordo. The food was exquisite and costly but it never needed to be in great quantity. Only former chiefs were allowed to join the council, and many former chiefs did not bother coming all the way to Rinox for a meeting unless their tribe was the topic of discussion. Besides chiefs, a Goblin had to be personally invited by Bordo himself to be allowed a voice. Occasionally elderly chiefs brought their sons to prepare them for the transition of leadership but even then, the meetings had yet to ever be larger than 50 Goblins. Tonight's meeting was one of the smaller ones, including Bordo there were only 8 Goblins at the meeting.

All but one of the Goblins were the usuals, former chiefs who made it their business to take part in every single council meeting. Consequently they ended up having the greatest influence over Bordo's empire. Seret, a massive Bulblin from the south was the only visitor to Rinox this time. When Bordo spotted him walking in he was sure to embrace and welcome him.

After the food had been served and the young Bulblins dismissed the meeting began as usual without any luster.

"What was the fate of Jagged Teeth?" Nusma asked as soon as the last waiter disappeared behind the double doors of the entrance. She was not touching the food in front of her and was instead sitting with her legs crossed, arms folded in front of her, staring at Bordo. This was the Bulblins preferred pose and was how she stayed the duration of most meetings. The exception was when she became heated and began jumping up and down or spitting in Goblin faces.

"Jagged Teeth remains intact," Bordo answered. As usual the Moblin had taken a casual posture. He was sitting on his butt, one leg half tucked under him and one knee up for him to lean on nonchalant. His left elbow was propped up on his knee and his left hand constantly massaged his temple. He kept his right hand free to chow, gesture or point as necessary.

Nusma snorted. "And Gnasher? Is he intact?"

Gutrot giggled, drawing a look from Nusma and Bordo.

"He is not," Bordo answered. "He challenged me after attacking a group of travelling humans."

"A foolish decision," Unlet chirped. Bordo didn't acknowledge the suck-up Bulblin.

Nusma frowned. "And you left his tribe intact?" she asked condescendingly. "Has your ego grown so large you no longer fear retaliation?"

Bordo put a piece of bulbo bacon in his mouth instead of answering. He gave Nusma a hard look while he chewed.

"Jagged Teeth is a small tribe that only strayed because of poor leadership and boredom," Bordo finally answered after swallowing. "With Gnasher gone they will fall under new leadership and they will be appreciative of the mercy they have been shown."

"Under whose leadership?" Nusma asked. "Gnarl's?"

Bordo blinked with irritation. Ida answered before he could say anything.

"Do you think Bordo is stupid?" Ida snapped. "He's not going to replace Gnasher with his son!"

Nusma shrugged. "He is the one claiming to have won their hearts with his 'mercy'".

"Jagged Teeth will fall under Publim," Bordo said quickly to keep Ida from rising to her feet. He turned to the Bulblin and asked, "Can you handle them?"

Publim had just entered his fourth decade but looked as though he were reaching into his sixth. His green skin was cracked and spotted from all the time he spent in the sun and the fact that his left horn was completely missing did him no favors.

Publim was one the Bordo's most trusted chiefs, primarily because of his temperament. His tribe, the Hills, was the Bulblin tribe with the knowledge and patience to raise crops enough to completely sustain themselves. Their green thumbs had made them targets for the more aggressive tribes in the area but once Bordo had found them and met with Publim, he knew they would be come quintessential to his empire and dream so he made sure they were protected. Now, Publim's tribe and quadrupled in size and they now farmed the fertile valley nestled between Rinox and the other nearby mountains. Thanks to Publim's knowledge of horticulture the Hills grew enough potatoes, radishes, carrots and onions to feed all of Rinox with leftovers to trade to other tribes in the Carpachian mountains.

"Aye," Publim answered after scratching his chin. "I can't imagine that lot will enjoy working the fields though."

Another snort of Nusma. "They'd sooner fall on your blade than work a plow."

"We'll see," Bordo answered. "But it won't be my blade if they rebel. It would be Helcat's."

Nusma glanced around to see if the notorious Goblin was in attendance. Even after seeing he was absent she held her tongue.

"What of the humans Gnasher attacked?" Tormal asked. Then, switching from Goblin tongue to Human, "The attack wasn't sanctioned. It could mean trouble for us if it's discovered Goblins were responsible."

"Gutrot took care of it," Bordo replied also in the Human tongue. He knew Tormal only spoke the Human tongue to display his superior intelligence to the other Goblins but he allowed the Bulblin these opportunities. The hornless, multilingual Bulblin was the only Goblin who had ever managed to establish a business relationship with Humans in Jiu or Suceava. Those relationships were very important to Bordo so he humored, sometimes even stroked Tormal's ego.

"And Helcat left to hunt down the only survivor."

Tormal nodded. "So he's as good as dead," he stated, switching back to Goblin tongue.

Everyone else looked from Tormal to Bordo waiting for someone to clue them in on who was as good as dead. Tormal grinned smugly, unwilling to divulge anything from his secret conversation with the King.

"Seret!" Bordo cried, pulling everyone's attention to the very large visitor from the south. "To what do we owe the pleasure? What brings you to the Council?"

"Not but the company of friends who smell but a whiff better than bulbos!"

Everyone in the council shared a laugh except Nusma, who was far too serious for such nonsense.

Bordo lifted his horn of mead. "To the Piglins!"

"To the Piglins!" everyone who wasn't too serious cheered.

After throwing back a pint of fermented potato ale Seret let out a belch then pounded on his chest.

"Actually, High Chief, I've had a stranger visitor to my tribe," Seret said.

Bordo raised an eyebrow. "Goblin?"

Seret shook his head. "I'd say Human were it not for the color of his skin and stink of his breath."

Bordo looked to Tormal for clarification.

"What color skin?" Tormal asked.

"Almost green as a Goblin but with red hair," Seret offered.

Tormal stroked his chin for a minute then turned to Bordo.

"Gerudo," he said confidently. "Probably from the Hara Desert."

"What is a Gerudo doing all the way out here?" Ida asked.

"Said he's looking to buy an army," Seret answered. "Said he'd heard about the Piglin cavalry and wanted to recruit us."

"And what did you tell him?" Bordo asked.

"That we are already in service to High Chief Bordo."

"He wants a meeting then, yes?" Ida asked.

Seret nodded.

"Did he give you a name?" Bordo asked. It wasn't unheard of, the other races hiring Goblins to do their dirty work. Bordo had allowed it several times in the past under his reign. He'd even been hired to work for a particularly nasty noblemen back when he was a young Moblin in Absistus.

"Aye," Seret answered. "Called himself 'Ganondorf'".

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry to drown you in details, descriptions, and dialogues but I figured this might be a good chapter to add some of that stuff. Next chapters should have more action and be far more interesting.**

 **Some helpful facts about the universe I'm using:**

 **There are 3 types of Goblins - Bulblins (Twilight Princess), Bokoblins (Twilight Princess), and Moblins (Ocarina of Time).**

 **I added a new race - Absistians. They are a Nordic people from a country called Absistus, north of Hyrule. Kind of like the Eskimo version of a Gerudo. (yes yes yes its all non-canon).**

 **As mentioned in the chapter "Humans" are any combination of Gerudo and elf or Absistian and elf. Elf gene is crazy recessive so the pointed ears and magic ability are the first to go.**

 **If Goblin names start to confuse you as the story goes - Female names will always end in a vowel. Male names will always end in a consonant (except Bordo cause he's a Moblin).**

 **Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!**


End file.
